Genesis

It's Friday and after youth group I'm finally back home. Patty's here too, having a sleepover.

"I want popcorn." She whines, tummy rumbling.

"Shush." I laugh, motioning to my dad's bedroom door. "Don't wake him up."

"But I really do want popcorn."

"Then go get some." I say, not getting the point.

"But the kitchen's wayyy over there." She points, laying emphasis on way and sinking deeper into the couch.

"Then you're not hungry." I reply, ignoring her pleas for help.

Switching on the TV I try to select a movie. "How about this one?"

"oooh I love Chloe Grace Moretz." She says after taking a minute to read out the synopsis. "Let's watch it."

And so it is that we spend the next two hours watching Chloe struggle to find her brother in a world that is being attacked by aliens.

"Another one." Just as the credits roll in. she doesn't even miss a beat.

"Suicide squad?" I ask, quirking my eyebrows.

"I've seen it." She replies shrugging. "But I don't mind re-watching it!" she cries, snatching up the remote from my hand.

Without further ado, Patty scrolls down the list, finds the movie and puts it on. All I can do is watch since she didn't even so much as give me a fighter's chance.

Enjoying the movie proves a tad bit difficult because Patty keeps pausing to gush about the actors, especially Margot Robbie, Cara DeLavigne and Jared Leto and explaining what happens next.

You see, I wouldn't mind so much about the gushing because honest to God, I love them too but she's over doing it and ruining the movie for me in the process.

"I'm going to bed." I mutter, yawning when I can't take it anymore.

"What?" she shrieks, horrified. "You can't go to 'bed'" she says, making air quotes with her fingers. "It's a sleepover."

Sighing resignedly, I slip back onto the couch but not without making her promise not to be quiet.

***

"Let's do something else." Patty whines, tugging Lacey and I in the opposite direction from the boys.

Yupp, you guessed it. We're at a water park.

Well, I know you didn't because I didn't hint at it and there's no way under the heavens you would have known that but hey, at least you gave it your best shot.

You didn't? ah, too bad then.

After last night, patty and I had woken up quite late and exhausted but she'd still had the energy to suggest we embark on the thirty two mile drive to Grand Forks just so we could splash in water all day.

"Our parents wouldn't let us." I'd deadpanned earlier that morning, shoving lucky charms in my mouth.

"Sure they will." she'd replied, shaking her head. "We can get Lacey to drive us!"

Her eyes lit up at the prospect but I still wasn't sold so I shook my head, advising her to dismiss the idea.

"But Gennii." She'd said, eyes silently pleading. "It might be the last time we get to do something like this before you move."

At her words, my hand froze, midair and my body stilled itself. I turned the thought over and over again in my mind. She was right. I won't get another chance to do this before the move.

"Okay." I had replied, word barely above a whisper. "I'll go ask my dad."

"Yayy!" she'd squealed, jumping excitedly as I made my way out of the kitchen.

It didn't take long to convince dad once I informed him that Lacey, Patty's twenty three year old sister who is visiting for the holidays, would take us,

By the time I returned to the kitchen, Patty the master planner had everyone called up.

They'd all be able to come, she said; everyone except Tyler who has to watch his baby sister today.

It had all gone by in a flurry of activities after that and so here we are in early December, having fun at a mediocre water park. Who would have thought?

"Okay okay." Lacey, who is dressed in a simple hot pink and white polka dotted bikini replies. Patty and I are both dressed adequately in a one piece each because well, we don't exactly feel comfortable showing so much skin but I like to think we still look stunning.

"We'll do whatever you want." I chip in, allowing her to fully lace her arm through mine.

"Cannonball slide!" she declares, squealing like a toddler on a sugar rush.

 And so it is that we head to the checkered monstrosity, floats in hand and ready to splash.

We'd been here before though and if anything the park is in a worse state than it'd been the last time. The water is way too chilly and the slides need a pretty good scrub down but I can understand why Patty's so excited about this; its why I'm so excited about it too.

When we get on the slide, laughter from the girls makes me forget the chill of the water and everything that needs fixing. Here, in this moment, everything's perfect.

"That." Patty exclaims when we get off, gesturing towards the slide. "Was awesome!"

"I know right?" I squeal, trying to match her enthusiasm. Lacey's about to make some kind of input so I seize the opportunity.

Untangling myself from Patty, I decide to take a leap of faith. I head to the activity pool and stare at the Goliath of a slide deciding to brave what I'd been too chicken to do the last time we'd visited.

"Are you sure you want to go on that?" Lacey asks, eyeing the structure. Her forehead is creased with worry lines and her voice practically drips apprehension. She probably remembers what happened last time.

My heart skips a bit at the memory of the firetruck pulling up just for my sake.

She's giving you an out Gen, I think to myself. You can still change your mind.

Shaking my head to dispel any contradictory thoughts, I smile at Lacey. "I'm sure." I reply, placing my foot on the ladder so I can make my way up.

It's quite the climb and when I finally make it there, my brows are lined with sweat.

"You ready?" the guy working the slide asks. Not trusting my mouth, I nod.

"Okay." He replies, "Cross your arms and let go when you're sure."

For a moment, I consider ditching my plan but then Patty's voice begins to swirl over and over again in my mind. You might never get the chance to do this this again. And then I let go.

The air whooshes out from my lungs and my heart feels like it's been knocked into my mouth.

"I'm doing it!" I scream mentally, giving myself the proverbial pat on the back. I can feel the sweet rush of adrenaline as wave after wave of euphoria washes over me.

And then, I stop moving.

Right towards the middle of the slide, the water is flowing ever so slowing so surprise surprise, I am stuck.

My mind jumps into a panicked frenzy as memories of last year come flooding in. Unconsciously, I replay every "1000 ways to die" episode I'd ever watched.

"It's okay." The guy from earlier calls from the top. "Just use your legs to propel yourself forward and you should be on your way."

I know that from getting stuck last time! I almost scream at him. Instead, I do as I'm told and sure enough, I get moving again.

"What a relief!" I sigh when I finally splash into the pool at the bottom.

"You okay?" Lacey asks, sidling up to me.

"Yeah." I reply even though my breath is still coming in in shallow gasps.

"I can't believe you actually did that!" patty shrieks. Her gaze morphs from one of disapproval and concern to that of excitement.

"Me neither!" I admit, bouncing up and down. "Save for the part where I got stuck, it was actually really fun."

I smile when I notice the boys bounding up to us, wet hair matted to their faces and sticking out every which way.

"You guys will not believe what Gennii did just now!"

"What?" they ask simultaneously as Patty launches into the whole story, adding a bit of salt and pepper to make it more interesting; Typical Patty.

"We were thinking about heading to the East Australian Current." Javi says, jerking his thumb in the same direction they'd just come from. "Thought you guys might want to tag along."

We all nod then, matching their stride.

"When are you set to move?" jerry asks, breaking the comfortable silence that had engulfed us as we sit floating happily in the lazy pool moments later. We are both lagging behind the others who are several paces in front.

"Around the twenty eighth," I reply, moving my legs to make the water splash about.

"Why don't you just go after the new year?"

"I would but dad has to set up at the office and whatnot."

Jerry nods his head then, staring off into space as an uneasy silence begins to coat the air.

"I'll miss you, you know." He says after a while, voice laced with emotion. "We all will."

I can't stop the few tear droplets that escape my eyes then. "Don't do this now Jer." I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "What will Patty and the gang think if we catch up looking all blotchy-eyed and emotional?"

"I don't know." He shrugs, glancing furtively at me. "That we're human?"

I laugh then, punching his arm playfully. "I'll miss you too." I say just as we spot Javi's head up front, my voice breaking.

Jerry nods, smiling playfully at me. "Promise me you'll visit as often as you can.'

"I promise." I reply solemnly.

"Come on." He says, lips curving into a smirk. "Let's catch up." and with that, he paddles away, leaving several sprays of water in his wake.

After three more glorious hours of frolicking about the park, the gang and I head to get food from the concession stand.

From there, we change and get comfy in the cabana Lacey had rented earlier.

"I can't believe you spent over $50 dollars on this!" Javi exclaims incredulously. The look on his face says it all. He didn't think it worth it and would never do the same. I'm actually half tempted to laugh.

"Oh not to worry." She waves her hand dismissively. "It's all part of my annual pre-Christmas splurge."

Patty quirks her eyebrows at her but bridles her tongue. Me, I just tuck happily into my buffalo chicken pizza stick, sighing contentedly as the cheese melts like butter in my mouth.

I love food.

The rest of the day we spend relaxing and making small talk as Lacey drives us around Grand Forks, allowing us to do some early Christmas shopping so that by the time we arrive home, it's pretty late at night.

"Thanks guys." I say when we pull up at my house. "I had tons of fun." One after the other, my friends reach out to hug me, smiling and wishing me goodnight.

Just as Lacey backs the car out of the driveway, I head towards my door, smiling all dopey like, just as any moron high on natural morphines would.